Midnight Spells Murder Page 19

  “I don’t think she can hear you.” Molly’s voice was mature and practical.

  Zo bit her lip to keep from laughing. Beth was mad as heck. She didn’t want to make it worse by laughing at Molly’s obvious—but funny—statement.

  “That boy has to be in high school.” Beth leaned over the middle console. Her chestnut ponytail dipped over one shoulder. “What’s he doing over here?”

  “I think he’s giving her a ride home,” explained Molly.

  “Oh no he’s not.” Beth laid on the horn. Several drivers glanced in her direction. One threw up his hands. Beth mouthed the word sorry. “Roll down your window, Zo.”

  It would be better to walk up to the car, but Zo didn’t dare refuse the maniac’s request. Zo had never seen her like this. In their youth, she was always the calm, sensible one. Now she was a mom on a mission. Zo obeyed and rolled down the window.

  “Megan! Get over here this instant.”

  Molly slunk down in the backseat. Even for a second-grader, her mom’s actions were embarrassing. Zo couldn’t imagine what Meg was feeling.

  When Beth didn’t get a response, she put the car in drive, still calling Meg’s name out the window. Zo could have sworn Meg saw them, but the car took off in the opposite direction.

  “If she thinks she’s going for a joy ride with that dude, she has another think coming.” Beth stepped on the gas. “Are you buckled, Molly sweetie?”

  “Yes,” Molly answered.

  “I wonder if you should call her on her phone?” asked Zo. “It might be safer than a car chase.”

  “Don’t worry,” said Beth, taking a corner a little too quickly. The SUV hit the curb, and her long brown ponytail jumped off her shoulders. “I’m in complete control.”

  The sedan was several blocks ahead of them, so Beth had some catching up to do before she would reach them. She zigzagged through traffic until the car was within sight. The problem was Main Street. It narrowed to one lane in each direction and was notoriously clogged with tourists. The stoplights put them several car lengths behind. It wasn’t until after driving through downtown that the road widened and they finally caught up.

  At a stoplight, Beth pulled up alongside the sedan and hollered at Meg to roll down her window. Meg stared straight ahead, her brown ponytail looking very much like her mother’s. But she could ignore her mother’s protests for only so long. Everyone within a one-block radius could hear Beth’s demands. Eventually Meg rolled down her window.

  “Oh hey, Mom.” Meg was nonchalant. “What are you doing here?”

  “What am I doing here?” repeated Beth. “What are you doing here? Tell that boy to pull over.”

  “We’re meeting some friends for pizza,” explained Meg. “I’ll be home afterwards.”

  “No you’re not,” Beth insisted. “You’re going to pull over and get in this car right now.”

  Meg had no intentions of getting in the car with her mother. She was playing it cool for the young guy in the car. He did a nice job of acting, too. He pretended not to see the concerned mom with her head hanging out the window. He and Meg shared a look that conveyed the hilarity of the situation. Beth didn’t find it quite so funny.

  “You, pull over—now!” exclaimed Beth.

  The light turned green at that moment, and the sedan pulled away.

  Beth gave Zo a look of astonishment. “Can you believe it? I would have never disobeyed my mother like that.”

  Molly piped up from the backseat. “That’s not what Gran says. Gran says you were a ‘handful.’”

  “That’s not true.” Beth stepped on the gas. “Tell her, Zo.”

  Zo lurched forward in her seat. “Your mom was a good kid.” It was Zo who got them into mischief. Rules changed from house to house. It made getting into trouble easy. Bringing your best friend along for the ride was even easier. But those days were far from Beth’s mind. Her only concern was Meg and how to stop her.

  “See?” Beth gripped the wheel. “I was a pillar of good behavior.”

  That was taking it a bit far, but far be it for Zo to disagree with a mom on a mission. A siren blared, cutting off further conversation. Zo checked the mirror. A police car was behind them with its lights on.

  “Are those for me?” asked Beth.

  “I think so,” said Zo. “I’d pull over.”

  “What about Meg and that thug?” Beth pulled over to the side of the road. “They’ll get away.”

  Thug? He looked like a perfectly normal teenager to Zo. But she supposed that’s what mothers called boys who took their daughters away in speeding cars. “We can search the pizza places. There are only four in town, and they drove by one of them. That leaves three.”

  Beth didn’t respond. She was watching her rearview mirror as the police officer approached, citation device in hand. A large shadow shaded her side of the car.

  “Mom’s getting arrested!” Molly couldn’t conceal her excitement. A car chase and a chat with a police officer? They were much more interesting than her usual sandwich and glass of milk after school.

  A black Stetson hat filled Beth’s window, and Zo groaned. Two visits with Officer Merrigan in one day? It was enough to recollect further childhood truancies. He’d been present for more than one of them.

  “Well, well, well,” said Brady. “If it isn’t Thelma and Louise. Is it just me, or do you two still get into a lot of trouble?”

  “My mom’s a pillar of good behavior,” chimed Molly from the backseat.

  “Hello, there.” Brady tipped his hat to Molly.

  “Look, Officer, could we hurry this up?” asked Beth. “My daughter’s in a strange car with a boy. I need to go find her.”

  Brady was taken aback by her words. This was not the same woman from Memorial Day. This was the mother of a teenager in peril. “What strange car? When was she taken?”

  “After school,” said Beth. “Around three o’clock.”

  “Could you describe the car or driver?” asked Brady, lowering his electronic device. He obviously thought Meg had been kidnapped from the way Beth was relaying the story. Zo decided she better set the record straight.

  “She got into the car voluntarily,” explained Zo. Brady bobbed his head lower to meet her gaze. She cleared her throat. “They’re going for pizza.”

  “It doesn’t make it right!” said Beth. “Plus they were speeding. I know they were because I was following them. You need to follow that young man and give him a ticket. That’ll teach him!”

  “Like it did you or Zo?” muttered Brady. “I’m sorry about your daughter going out with a boy, but it doesn’t give you an excuse to speed. You were going six miles over the limit. Downtown, that’s a lot. Someone might have been injured.”

  “We’re a mile from downtown,” Beth informed him. “I would never harm anyone.”

  Zo would bet Beth was thinking about the murder at the lodge now. Brady had accused her of killing one of her guests over Memorial Day weekend, and Beth hadn’t forgotten. Zo interceded before Beth said something that would cost her—in fines. “Beth’s just concerned for her daughter. Surely as a…human being you understand.”

  “I understand.” He held out a ticket. “I understand you and your friend still think you’re above the law. Someday you’ll learn.”

  Beth snatched the ticket out of his hand. “Today isn’t that day, Officer. I’m too busy raising a teenager. They’re a whole other species.” She rolled up her window, leaving a gaping Brady Merrigan to stare after her as she merged into traffic.

  Ten minutes later, they pulled into Mile High Pie, the new pizza place in town favored by teens and young adults. It not only had decent pizza but WiFi and charging stations. Patrons didn’t have to worry about running low on batteries while filling up on pizza. The entrance was marked by a pizza with toppings balancing precariously and reaching into the sky. It w
asn’t a mile long, but customers got the idea. The boy’s car was parked sideways in the lot.

  Beth turned off the ignition, and Zo touched her arm. “Let me go in and get Meg.”

  “I want to come, too!” pleaded Molly from the backseat.

  “Just me,” said Zo. “It’ll be less embarrassing for her.”

  “I want her to be embarrassed.” Beth narrowed her eyes. They were steel gray. “She should be embarrassed about the little stunt she pulled.”

  “You don’t mean that,” said Zo. “You’re upset. It’s hard being a teenager, especially in a new town. You can hold off on the lecture until you get home.”

  Beth relaxed her shoulders. The tiniest smile played on her lips. “Since when did you learn so much about irresponsible teens?”

  Zo gave her a grin. “Since I was one for years.”

  “Fine,” agreed Beth. “Go. But tell that boy you’ve got your eye on him!” she hollered as Zo shut the car door.

  Zo had no plans to tell him anything. She was going to give Meg an indication and hope she followed it. Zo assumed she would. Meg was a good kid. Besides, she wouldn’t want to draw more attention to the situation than necessary.

  The pizzas sold by the slice smelled heavenly and so did the breadsticks. Zo wondered about something to-go. She usually grabbed pizza at Lotsa Pasta downtown but decided to place an order. It would give her a reason for being here, besides retrieving Meg.

  She texted Beth, asking if she’d like veggie or barbequed chicken. Beth responded with veggie—and the eye-roll emoji. They’d already indulged in a chocolate éclair. Zo placed her order and stepped to the carryout queue, where she noticed Roberto’s son waiting. He was passing the time scrolling on his phone.

  “Hey Alex.”

  His brown eyes were his father’s but lacked the same warmth and generosity. They dismissed her with a glance. “Hey.”

  “Have you had their pizza?” asked Zo. “I heard it’s pretty good.”

  “Yeah,” said Alex. “It’s good.”

  “How’s your dad?” Since he’d gone back to his phone, Zo was left to look at his dark hair, pulled back from his forehead with the help of a styling product, probably something expensive. From the creases in his Oxford shirt to his hip jeans, he appeared ready for the Ivy Leagues.

  “He’s fine.” He squinted, seeming to remember something. “He saw you on the news. Did you really have a séance at your store?”

  An idea dropped into her head. Instead of changing the subject, she would use it to her advantage. “I did. We were able to reach out to Marianne.”

  He squirmed, looking more like a teen than an adult. “She never liked me, you know. She’d say anything just to be with my dad.”

  “Why didn’t she like you?” asked Zo.

  “The lady was a witch. What can I say?”

  “Is that why you burned her book?”

  His eyes widened. “Is that what she told you?”

  Zo kept her gaze steady. Marianne didn’t tell her, but she let Alex believe it. Zo knew he was the only one with access to the book. Unless Roberto burned it, which was highly unlikely.

  “She wanted my dad’s money,” explained Alex. His eyes flashed black. “That’s why she was mad about college. She could say whatever she wanted about values and work ethic, but I knew the truth. She just didn’t want my dad spending his money on me.”

  “Is that why you burned her book?” Zo repeated.

  “Dad needed to get her out of his head,” said Alex. “Having that stupid book lying around wasn’t helping. He’d been staring at it for days. Since you brought it back, it’s even worse. He has it in a plastic bag like it’s some kind of antique. So thanks for that. Really appreciate it.”

  The self-centered teen had turned it around, placing the blame on her. If his dad was suffering, it was because he loved Marianne, but Alex obviously didn’t see it that way. He’d gotten rid of the book. Had he gotten rid of Marianne, too?

  Marianne opposed his fancy college. Alex said it was because of the money, but Zo didn’t believe it. Marianne had plenty of her own money from her book advance. Plus she was a believer in working one’s way up, so it wasn’t college itself she objected to. Zo needed to figure out what was—and if it was worth killing for.

  A number popped up on the monitor, and Alex shifted from one foot to the other. Order 454 was being taken out of the oven. It must be his.

  “If you talk to her again, tell her to buzz off, would you?” He put his phone in his pocket. “My dad and I don’t need any visits from the other side. We’re doing just fine without her.”

  From the kitchen, a pizza box slid under the warmer, and Alex approached the counter. An employee handed him the order, and he was gone.

  Zo went to Meg and her friends at the corner table. Except for a few choice words Zo overheard as she neared, the kids were perfectly behaved. Three girls and three guys were huddled together, looking at something funny on a phone. A girl jerked it away when she noticed Zo.

  “You ready, Meg?” Zo nodded toward the pickup counter. “Pizza’s about done.”

  Meg pushed back her chair. “See you guys.”

  “You have to go already?” The boy from the car tugged Meg’s hand, and Zo ignored the irritation growing inside her. She understood how Beth lost her cool now. Something instinctual took over when it came to loved ones. It was hard to explain, and Zo might not have even believed it if she hadn’t experienced it for herself. She felt a strong desire to protect Meg from harm, and right now, that meant the young man.

  “I’ll call you later,” said Meg.

  Zo and Meg silently collected the veggie pizza, and Zo was pleasantly surprised by its weight. They really did pile on the toppings here.

  Meg held open the door for Zo. “Thanks.”

  “What for?” said Zo.

  “For not letting my mom come in here like a crazy person,” Meg answered.

  “I know you’ll disagree, but I kind of like seeing your mom act like a crazy person.” Zo shrugged. “It makes her seem more normal in a weird way.”

  “Normal is the last word I’d use to describe her lately,” mumbled Meg.

  Seeing Beth’s makeshift sign language from the SUV, Zo had to agree.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Zo, Beth, and the kids enjoyed the pizza at Happy Camper. Harley was closing, and Zo wanted to share. With the five of them huddled around her table in the backroom, Zo experienced a warm fuzzy feeling of family, a family that didn’t include a husband or children but a family all the same. It’s what she cherished about the store. Happy Camper had become a front porch of sorts for the people who mattered to her. It welcomed new friends from all over the country who came to visit the Black Hills. Zo hoped they would return again and again, and the store would be here to welcome them. From the gains made in the summer, she felt positive about the future. For the first time since she’d opened, she contemplated adding another employee. With the holiday season approaching and college in session, the idea was plausible, but she knew Harley needed the hours and didn’t want to reduce them. If her walking tours became more frequent, however, she would need another person.

  Max popped into her head the way he always did when she thought of anything related to hiking, biking, canoeing, or camping. Picking up the pizza plates and tossing them into the garbage, she could hear his voice warning her about the dangers of the forest. A chuckle crept up on her. He’d probably want to screen a new employee himself. Unless he was looking for part-time work. In that case, she could just hire him. She could picture him in his forest-green uniform, marching people up the hill and to the path that led to the waterfall. The scene didn’t exactly scream happy camper, but it did make her smile.

  The bell on the door interrupted the imaginary scenario, and Zo motioned for Harley, who was still eating, to stay seated. Tif
fany was there with her two kids in tow. No longer did Zo see her as an overzealous mother with perfect hair and clothes to match. She was a woman with a past, one she didn’t want repeated. Like most people, Tiffany was much more complicated than she looked. It had been a mistake to dismiss her as a town do-gooder.

  “My last stop of the day.” Tiffany held up her bulging manila envelope.

  “I didn’t think I’d see you so soon,” said Zo. Tiffany had more sales than the last time Zo had seen the envelope. It would take her awhile to rifle through the checks. Thank goodness Beth and the kids were still here. Hopefully they would provide enough of a distraction to give Zo time to take a peek.

  “Orders are due tomorrow,” explained Tiffany. “It was now or never.”

  “Molly!” Tiffany’s daughter squealed. The two girls joined in a hug. Molly dragged her to the Gratitude Tree, where they scribbled on leaves. Tiffany’s son stood next to her, looking around for something else to do.

  Tiffany nodded toward the tree. “I see you’ve switched out your Halloween décor. It’s cute.”

  “I like keeping up with the seasons,” said Zo. Another customer entered, and Harley appeared from the backroom with Beth. Meg was left alone to finish her pizza in peace. After the talking-to Beth had given her on the way to the shop, it was probably a welcome relief.

  “So your neighbor…” started Tiffany.

  “Let me give him a buzz.” Zo wished she’d called Cunningham earlier. She should have known Tiffany would be right over when it came to wreath sales. If Cunningham was still in his grading funk, though, he would be happy for the interruption. She pulled her phone from her back pocket and pressed his number.

  Cunningham answered on the fifth ring, and Zo explained her reason for calling while Beth chatted with Tiffany. Under her breath, Zo told Cunningham she needed him to come and bring his checkbook. He didn’t need much encouragement to flee his papers. She heard him open his door as he said goodbye.

  Zo clicked off the phone. “He’s on his way.”

  Tiffany nodded. She and Beth were already making class party arrangements. A few minutes later, Cunningham entered Happy Camper, looking bleary-eyed. A sleep wrinkle crossed one cheek.